A comment on Mims' activities through the week and the latest news from Parliament.
Last week the summer parliamentary session began, and alongside debates over key Bills – including the Ivory Bill which I supported from the front bench – there were some really important events taking place which I was delighted to be able to support as your MP.
This year marks two hundred years since the Sailor’s Society – which has its head offices in Southampton and a shop in Eastleigh Town centre – was launched to support seafarers during long periods at sea and their families back at home in times of crisis. Today the organisation continues to carry out that key role, and it was therefore a real pleasure to join the society to mark this landmark occasion in Parliament and meet the people behind the organisation’s successes.
From one landmark occasion to another, on Sunday I joined hundreds of thousands of people right across the UK marching through some of our greatest cities to mark 100 years since some women won the right to vote in UK elections for the very first time! The streets filled with green, white and violet, the colours of the suffrage movement, and people across the political divide celebrated the importance of women taking part in our democracy, and some of the sacrifices that had been made in order to get there. As I’ve said many times before, we should always make sure that we use our vote, and this year should be a poignant reminder of why.
Getting more women into tech and STEM subjects is something that I have always been passionate about, and it was really great to meet with some of the team from SETsquared last week who are based at Southampton University’s Science Park and do such a huge amount to support our high-tech community. It was particularly interesting to hear how they are hoping to expand - with the possibility of a second science park in the region – and of course, I didn’t hesitate in making the case for Eastleigh! Science continues to improve our daily lives, supporting innovation in industry, enabling us to better save and support the environment and create cures for century old diseases. It would be brilliant if our hugely talented young people in Eastleigh could play an even bigger role in that future!
Nearby Southampton is rightly known for the important role that it continues to play as a hub for science in the South, and it is great to hear that the UK's first cancer immunology research centre is due to open in the city soon! Cancer remains a scourge on our society, with the vast majority of us being affected by the disease in one way or another, but the fight is most definitely on. Right across the country Cancer Research UK Ambassadors are fund raising and raising the profile of this key organisation, and it was brilliant to meet again with Botley residents and Cancer Ambassador, Caroline Dale, in Parliament to chat about how we can continue to work together to combat cancer in our community.
I will always continue to work hard alongside constituents to campaign on the issues that really matter to you, and so please don’t hesitate to let me know if you are a part of a group campaigning on something close to your heart, and would like my support.
In the meantime have a great weekend, and a special good luck to everybody running the Eastleigh 10k on Sunday!